The new news 24 thread

[Lankytim]

37 minutes ago, cort1977 said:

The odd shape suggests the boxes might have been built to fit in a vehicle somewhere?  On board tool box of something military?

 

That's what I thought, there's some odd clips inside to hold some equipment of some sort.  I'd love to find out more about them. 

32 minutes ago, Angrydicky said:

Door handles, reflector and spark plugs all point towards Austin A30/35.

Thanks! The handles certainly match what's on ebay... which is where they're going to go! I would love an A35 one day though.. maybe I should just buy more A35 parts and assemble my own. 

[wuvvum]

17 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

How the heck did they even manage that?  Given the walking pace top speed and how skinny the tyres are I wouldn't have expected anywhere near sufficient lateral g-force to be available to cause tippage...

Doesn't need a lot of lateral grip when the car weighs about 25kg.  I once managed to tip over a Little Tykes Cozy Coupe and that has even narrower tyres.

I think the fact that the passenger was rather heavier than the driver probably had an influence.

[Zelandeth]

4 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

Doesn't need a lot of lateral grip when the car weighs about 25kg.  I once managed to tip over a Little Tykes Cozy Coupe and that has even narrower tyres.

I think the fact that the passenger was rather heavier than the driver probably had an influence.

True I guess.  I keep forgetting that it's pretty much a golf cart with a car-like cabin dropped on top.  In my head I'd pictured more normal EV traction battery pack weight right under the floor to help stabilise things.

Only thing I've managed to tip over so far was a Honda ATC200 - and that was because I was being a complete idiot at the time!

[BorniteIdentity]

"Journalism"

[Soundwave]

Don't miss next week's exclusive article on how drivers can increase their car's speed by pressing the accelerator...

[Lankytim]

I’ve just found these too which have me stumped, I’m guessing they’re quarter light hinges but they don’t seem to match the A35. 

[bunglebus]

Bit more progress on the Saaab. Poo looking welds ground down on the first repair

Rot chopped out around the seat mount

Bit of CAD

And welded in - until the gas ran out. Off to Halfrauds...

[somewhatfoolish]

7 hours ago, High Jetter said:

It has a French 'friend':

Very similar, but the door hinges seem to have moved.

IIRC the front and rear mouldings are interchangeable.

[trigger]

My Dolomite has been running like a bag of shite for a while now, won't tick over when cold, guttless, flumey and then it dropped to 3 cylinders, I done the usual stuff to test it, swapping plugs and leads but it didn't clear, it sparked but wouldn't fire so expecting the worse I done a compression, but that was ok as it was showing 150psi on all 4 cylinder.

Good old dad came over on Saturday and investigated the problem, it ended up being the carbs that were totally out of sync again, the car had been running on it's fast idle rather than the choke as a screw had worked lose so that was adjusted and thread locked into place then had them balanced  back up, the difference is night and day now! It runs on start up and goes like a train now! the dizzy cap still needs placing as thats been chewed up by the rotor arm hence the weak spark so it should be even better once that's replaced.

I still have a big oil leak to sort but it's getting there now....

[anonymous user]

2 hours ago, Soundwave said:

Don't miss next week's exclusive article on how drivers can increase their car's speed by pressing the accelerator...

Not in some of the things I've driven. More noise, yes, increase in speed imperceptible.

[bunglebus]

Second Saaab patch ground back

Large hole chopped under rear seat area - bit of a pain to clean up due to lots of tar underseal

Rot in front wing/inner wing is going to be the trickiest bit to sort out

[Fumbler]

1 hour ago, anonymous user said:

Not in some of the things I've driven. More noise, yes, increase in speed imperceptible.

There's a headline in there somewhere.

"THOUSANDS of drivers furious after discovering the accelerator pedal only makes the car louder"

[tooSavvy]

1 hour ago, anonymous user said:

Not in some of the things I've driven. More noise, yes, increase in speed imperceptible.

Oi! You had a shot in my SuziQ... Eh!Eh??

🤐

[AnnoyingPentium]

4 hours ago, wuvvum said:

I once managed to tip over a Little Tykes Cozy Coupe and that has even narrower tyres.

My pal done that with my wee brother's one. Slid sideways for about 50 yards at the least!

[artdjones]

Checked over the three flakey bits on the camper and made a start on the most extensive.

[Zelandeth]

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

Second Saaab patch ground back

Large hole chopped under rear seat area - bit of a pain to clean up due to lots of tar underseal

Rot in front wing/inner wing is going to be the trickiest bit to sort out

Make sure the washer bottle doesn't leak or you'll be back here in 12 months...

[chaseracer]

4 hours ago, Soundwave said:

Don't miss next week's exclusive article on how drivers can increase their car's speed by pressing the accelerator...

NEXT WEEK: What does that pedal in the middle do? We reveal all...

[Yoss]

4 hours ago, trigger said:

My Dolomite has been running like a bag of shite for a while now, won't tick over when cold, guttless, flumey and then it dropped to 3 cylinders, I done the usual stuff to test it, swapping plugs and leads but it didn't clear, it sparked but wouldn't fire so expecting the worse I done a compression, but that was ok as it was showing 150psi on all 4 cylinder.

Good old dad came over on Saturday and investigated the problem, it ended up being the carbs that were totally out of sync again, the car had been running on it's fast idle rather than the choke as a screw had worked lose so that was adjusted and thread locked into place then had them balanced  back up, the difference is night and day now! It runs on start up and goes like a train now! the dizzy cap still needs placing as thats been chewed up by the rotor arm hence the weak spark so it should be even better once that's replaced.

I still have a big oil leak to sort but it's getting there now....

That's rather splendid looking. Best colour for a Sprint. Well, that and Magenta. I think I'm right in saying the first 2000 Sprints were all Inca yellow. 

[spike60]

6 hours ago, High Jetter said:

You're not, I love it too. Never seen a ratchet spanner that old though. I've also got a very small adjustable somewhere.

I've seen a car sill pillar jack with a similar handle, turn it over for up/down, it just turned a threaded rod IIRC.

[trigger]

12 minutes ago, Yoss said:

That's rather splendid looking. Best colour for a Sprint. Well, that and Magenta. I think I'm right in saying the first 2000 Sprints were all Inca yellow. 

Thank you, the first 2000 was Mimosa yellow but mines one of the last so it's Inca yellow. 

[Yoss]

52 minutes ago, trigger said:

Thank you, the first 2000 was Mimosa yellow but mines one of the last so it's Inca yellow. 

Ahh, I read it a long time ago, memory's not what it was. Are Inca and Mimosa that different? 

[reb]

Email from work at 17:15 today saying I have a probation meeting on Sunday, I have to confirm and let them know if I'm bringing a union rep by 5pm tomorrow. Giving me less than 24 hours to arrange a union rep for a Sunday seems like a dick move. Call to the union first thing tomorrow I suppose.

[somewhatfoolish]

You don't have to do that at all; it's transparent controlling bullshit, browbeating nonsense that they can fuck right off with. It's a meeting they want at their convenience, so take anyone if you can't get a rep, your mum or a random from down the pub as a McKenzie Friend. I fail to see why they need to know unless they're OCD weirdos and plan on not having more seats than attendees.

[Crackers]

12 hours ago, reb said:

I have to confirm and let them know if I'm bringing a union rep by 5pm tomorrow

No you don't. 

If you can't get a union rep in time, you can confirm that you won't be attending until you do have a rep available. Well within your rights to refuse the meeting until then, IMO. 

[reb]

34 minutes ago, Crackers said:

No you don't. 

If you can't get a union rep in time, you can confirm that you won't be attending until you do have a rep available. Well within your rights to refuse the meeting until then, IMO. 

Looks like I'll be doing just that, as the union doesn't work on Sundays.

I would actually welcome being let go as they've failed to train me on anything but a role that isn't actually necessary most of the time so I don't get any shifts. I'm fairly sure it's because I told them I'm autistic, hence my desire for union involvement. I don't think they actually expect me to bring a rep even though they know I'm in a union.

In the meantime, they've given me 1 (one) whole 6 hour shift this week. Which once you take the half hour break into account is worth an astonishing £49. Utterly pointless.

[Surface Rust]

16 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Second Saaab patch ground back

Large hole chopped under rear seat area - bit of a pain to clean up due to lots of tar underseal

Rot in front wing/inner wing is going to be the trickiest bit to sort out

Lovely work. Whilst you are poking, check the top shock mounts at the rear. Two of my 900s went there and it's an awkward repair. The rot causes the shock to push through the mount.

Great cars though, I thoroughly regret selling my last one.

[stuboy]

Had to go and swap ambulance with a driver whom lost the air out of his n/s front tyre... 

 

Least weather was nice...

[wuvvum]

I did a 0-60 run in the Maxus earlier, just for LOLs.  Despite a rubbish start (I didn't give it enough revs and it bogged down in first gear), it did it in 15.5 seconds, which isn't bad for a big old van - I reckon with a proper start it would have managed it in under 15.

[MJK 24]

7 hours ago, wuvvum said:

I did a 0-60 run in the Maxus earlier, just for LOLs.  Despite a rubbish start (I didn't give it enough revs and it bogged down in first gear), it did it in 15.5 seconds, which isn't bad for a big old van - I reckon with a proper start it would have managed it in under 15.

That’s Mercedes 190D pace

🚙💨💨💨

[bunglebus]

Another day, another car in need. Got a call yesterday to go and jump start the FIL's Ignis, thought that was a bit odd as he'd made it to a petrol station on the way to work. Sure enough the battery was too low to spin it over, jumped it and found the battery light on. Further investigation revealed the problem 

Fished the remains of the old belt out to save it getting caught in the PAS belt, then began a clusterfuck involving the RAC taking over 6 hours to attend despite repeated phone calls chasing them up - FIL had driven it to work but left it in a dodgy spot after it stalled and my Mrs ended up sat in the car waiting for the RAC at the time they were supposed to attend - they missed that deadline by over two hours. In the end I drove up in her Lupo and she drove that home, I took the Suzuki followed by the RAC man. He couldn't change the belt so fitted a temporary battery, I had to stop a couple of times to let the engine cool as there was no water pump drive.

Got various quotes to change the belt as it looks very tight on access, best was £55 and worst was over £100. Balls to that, had a look earlier and decided to DIY it

It isn't easy to get at the tensioner for the PAS belt that has to come off first, in the end I undid the mount and jacked the engine up to access it. All slackened off now, just got to sauce a belt...